


Queens, Gangs, Boyfriends, and a Little Show and Tell

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: fiftysomething [16]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-10-05
Packaged: 2018-02-20 01:43:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2410382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It smells like hot dogs in here.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Queens, Gangs, Boyfriends, and a Little Show and Tell

The extra moisture in the air from the rain made his muscles ache. Being old sometimes sucked though if he was honest with himself, the nagging aches and pains had been around a long time. He didn’t ignore them as much now as he used to. It was Friday so at least he could spend the weekend relaxing. Hotch took his tea into the master bedroom where his wife worked on her laptop. Looking up at him briefly, Emily wore a sweet smile on her face.

 

“What's the plan, Stan?” she asked.

 

“This tea is quite hot so while it cools I will check on the kids. As much as I love the quiet…”

 

“I know what you mean.”

 

“I’ll poke my head in and make sure no one is plotting world domination through nefarious means.”

 

“I wouldn’t mind being queen of the universe.” Emily replied.

 

“You are the queen of my universe, Mrs. Hotchner.”

 

Emily smiled again as Hotch leaned to kiss her lips. Then he left the room, going to Jack’s room first. He was out on a date but his father turned on his light and looked around. He and his wife constantly battled about just how much they would invade their children’s lives. They restricted what they saw on their computers and televisions; certain cable channels were blocked out. Yet they had cell phones and other accoutrements of modern, 21st century teens. They were smarter than their parents and that scared Hotch to death.

 

Jack’s room was neat. His bed was made and there were posters of pretty girls and athletes on his wall. Hotch turned the light out, moving on. He skipped Bree’s room, knocking on Alex’s door before poking his head in.

 

“Hey baby baby.”

 

“Hi daddy.” She looked up from her note cards.

 

“Can I come in? What are you working on?”

 

“I have a social studies test on Monday. I'm making note cards.”

 

“Do you need some help?” Hotch asked, sitting down in her computer chair.

 

“No. I figure if I do it now I can enjoy tomorrow. CeCe and I are going to the mall with Aunt Penelope.”

 

“When will you study?”

 

“On Sunday. It won't be too hard but there is the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights. I have to know things in order, dates, and stuff.”

 

“So everything is alright in school?” Hotch asked.

 

“Sure daddy.”

 

Alexandra was an A student. She worked on one of the school newspapers, excelled in her foreign language classes, and enjoyed playing the flute in music. She was a sweet natured, quiet and thoughtful girl. If she was not with CeCe or one of her other close friends, Hotch could forget she was in the room. Unlike her siblings, Alex did not have to take center stage. That was fine by her father.

 

Hotch got up from the chair, kissing her forehead. Alex smiled.

 

“Good luck with your notes, Alex. Ten o’clock bedtime.”

 

“I know.” She nodded. “Goodnight, daddy.”

 

“Goodnight.”

 

Dylan’s room was next. Hotch knocked, went in, and Dylan scrambled to change the channel. The disturbance woke Jake from his nap. The bulldog grumbled some at his young owner but went back to sleep.

 

“What are you doing?” Hotch asked.

 

“Nothing really…just hanging out. What's up?”

 

Surprised he still had something resembling agility, Hotch grabbed the remote control from Dylan’s bed and hit last channel viewed.  _Please God_ , he thought, _do not let this be porn. I am not ready for porn…I thought I had more time_. It seemed to be a show on gangs.

 

“What are you watching?” Hotch asked.

 

“It’s a special on The Disciples Gang in Chicago. I don’t know Dad; I love these shows. All I've been doing lately is watching shows on The History Channel.”

 

Dylan was a complete enigma to his father. His grades could definitely be better. He was not afraid to get Cs but never let them slip too low. His interests were all over the place…comic books and street hockey to yo-yos and fencing. There were some school chums and neighborhood boys he hung out with sometimes, but he seemed more content talking off his mother and grandmother’s ear and spending quality time with his beloved dog. He and Jack were close; his big brother always made time for him.

 

“Why are you hiding this?” Hotch sat on the bed, scratching Jake behind his ears. As usual the room was a pigsty. It also smelled funny; dirty socks and hot dogs. That was not the best combination.

 

“These kinds of shows have graphic violence and bad language…viewer discretion is advised. I didn’t think you guys would want me to see it. I know mom wouldn’t.”

 

“Cartoons might be better.”

 

“I love cartoons, which are just as violent actually. I really like this history stuff though. Don’t tell mom because there are connections between watching violence and committing it. She teaches it at the Academy everyday. I just think it’s awesome to learn about these little societies among our big one. I mean, they have their own language Dad. Well, not language really, but cool codes and stuff.”

 

“I know a little about gangs, kiddo.  They are interesting societies, as you call them. What can we do to get you to put the same enthusiasm into fractions?”

 

“Do we have to talk about math? It’s Friday.”

 

“Mom and I are concerned.”

 

“I'm in tutoring, and I pay attention to Sam. I really am doing my best. I'm not a slacker but school is boring.”

 

Hotch was not paying $35,000 a year for his son to be bored. Maybe it was time to consider transferring Dylan from Sidwell Friends. He could finish fifth and sixth grade there and then go somewhere else. He was one of the smartest kids Hotch had ever seen though few things held his attention for long.

 

“What's so boring about it?”

 

“Lots of stuff.” Dylan shrugged. “I promise to tell you all about it but I really want to watch this special.”

 

“You're kicking me out?” his father raised an eyebrow.

 

“No way. We can watch together.”

 

“I have to check on your sister anyway.” He rustled Dylan’s hair. “Ten o’clock bedtime.”

 

“Gotcha. You won't tell mom I'm watching stuff with curse words, will you?”

 

“Nah,” Hotch got up and went to the door. “In exchange for my kindness I want you to make this room presentable. It smells like hotdogs in here.” He scrunched up his nose.

 

“You got it Dad.” Dylan nodded, laughing.

 

Hotch left him alone, backtracking to Sabrina’s room. He knocked on the door and was invited in.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hi daddy.” Bree relaxed on her bed drawing.

 

She was getting really good. Hotch only knew that by coincidence. It didn’t seem that long ago when he bought three year old Sabrina her first sketch book and box of 64 crayons. Art kept her busy for hours and all she wanted to do was make pictures for her daddy. On Hotch’s office wall there were two framed pictures that Bree drew. From a young age she had a gift. Everything she touched she seemed to excel at. There were not enough hours in Sabrina Hotchner’s day.

 

“Just poking my head in.” Hotch said.

 

“Wanna poke your whole body in? I have an Oreo Cakester I'm about to eat…it’s always better to share junk food with someone you love.”

 

He smiled, coming in and closing the door. She sat up, Indian style on the bed, to make room for him. Cracking open the pack, Bree handed one to her father.

 

“How many calories does this thing have?” Hotch asked.

 

“I could care less. I burn calories like a pyro burns houses. Did you like that…FBI kid humor.” She grinned, displaying the famous Hotchner dimples. Alex was the only one who didn’t have them.

 

Hotch laughed, biting into his cake. Oh dear God it was delicious. He looked at her sketchbook.

 

“What are you drawing?”

 

“I'm just doodling. Toby wants me to draw something for him but when I asked him what he told me to surprise him.”

 

“Is he secretly your boyfriend?”

 

Hotch met Toby Schulman in late November. He was over at the house studying with Bree one evening when Hotch came home from work. He didn’t like him very much but it was only because he was a boy and he was close to his daughter. He could begrudgingly admit he seemed like a nice kid, always respectful and soft-spoken. That didn’t mean he wanted him anywhere near his daughter. Intimidation was all the Deputy Director had and he was not afraid to use it…even if it pissed his teenage daughter off. Bree was like her mother in the sense that she had no problem telling someone, even her father, just what she thought about things.

 

“It’s not a secret, daddy.”

 

“But…”

 

“Having a boyfriend is not the same as dating, which I am not allowed to do until I am 15.”

 

“I should have clarified.” Hotch grumbled.

 

Bree laughed, sounding just like her mother. She kissed his cheek.

 

“This is hard for me.”

 

“What?”

 

“You’re growing up.”

 

“I'm not so cocky as to assume I'm even close to grown up.” Bree replied. “Still, I am not a little girl anymore. I'm somewhere in between.”

 

“In between might be the hardest stage.”

 

“Tell me about it. Don’t worry Daddy; I'm not going to give you too much trouble. I think it’ll probably be Alex.”

 

“She is an angel of a little girl.”

 

“Yeah, a little girl. Mark my words...remember I said it.”

 

Hotch smirked, rolling his eyes. For a split second worry came over him but he shook it off with the last of his Cakester. He put his arm around his daughter.

 

“Eleven o’clock.” He kissed her temple.

 

“I know. I…”

 

Her cell phone rang, a song Hotch didn’t recognized, and Bree practically squealed. 

 

“Hi there. Hold on,” Bree pressed a button and looked at her father. “Anything else Daddy?”

 

“No. Don’t talk too long on the phone.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

She saluted and Hotch grinned as he got off the bed. He squashed the part of him that wanted to stand at the door and listen, walking back to his bedroom. Emily was no longer on the computer. She was cuddled under their comforter laughing at _Frasier_ on television.

 

“My tea is surely cold.” He said.

 

“Check it.”

 

Hotch sat on his side of the bed, sighing deeply as he put a finger into the teacup. To his surprise it was still warm. He drank half of it.

 

“Its passable but I will have to drink it fast.”

 

“You were gone a while…are the kids OK?”

 

“They are more fascinating with each passing second.” He replied, slipping under the covers with her. Emily was immediately in his arms. Hotch kissed her forehead. “I really thought I would do a quick check but I wanted to talk to them.”

 

“That’s a good thing, Hotch.”

 

“I know. Lets have Sunday brunch; a family thing. We’ll pick up Nat and go over to the Old Ebbitt Grill. Just spend some family time. It’s funny because I never expected to be so busy at 60. I thought I would notice every change they make.”

 

“It’s not always about time,” Emily replied. “Things happen faster than we blink. Bree needs new skirts for her uniforms…her legs are getting so long. Dylan can barely fit the sneakers I bought him during the first week of school.”

 

“His room smells like socks and hot dogs.”

 

“Your son is a slob. I'm doing all I can but nothing helps.”

 

“I think after sixth grade we should put him in another school.” Hotch said.

 

“Why?”

 

“He’s bored.”

 

“Honey, Sidwell Friends is one of the best schools in the city, with one of the freest curriculums. What else could we ask for?”

 

“I think Dil might be into social sciences. He needs to see things, touch them, and learn how and why. I really think if that part of his brain were stimulated better math might be easier.”

 

“Then research a few and we will make a decision. His happiness and how well he excels are what matters most to me.”

 

“Thank you baby.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For giving me those three amazing human beings and loving Jack like your own from the very first day.”

 

“We do have amazing kids.” Emily agreed.

 

“Did you know that that Toby kid was Bree’s boyfriend?”

 

“I did.”

 

“And you OK’d this?”

 

“There is nothing to OK; kids pair off at this age. She respects the ‘no dating’ rule and we had the talk years ago with a repeat when she got her first period.”

 

“Oh dear God, the talk about what?”

 

“Hotch, don’t be naïve.”

 

“But…they are too young dammit.”

 

“Sadly, there is no such thing as ‘too young’ anymore. I've already done the first round with Alex and CeCe. Derek was happy for my help. You will need to sit down with Dylan soon.”

 

“Maybe you're right but can we not talk about it tonight? I suddenly feel really old and uncomfortable. If Bree…”

 

“She’s not,” Emily put her hand on his chest, wondering if he knew she was checking his heart rate. “And the fact that she is into sports, art, and possibly playing an instrument means she is 40% less likely to have sex before 17.”

 

“That is not that high of a number.”

 

“Do not get your blood pressure up when you don’t need to, honey.”

 

“Alright.” Hotch nodded, still feeling strange but letting it go. He pulled his wife closer. “The kids are definitely not the only ones who are happy tomorrow is Saturday. What will I lose your attention to this weekend?”

 

“I didn’t tell you?” Emily asked.

 

“Tell me what?”

 

“I have absolutely no plans; I'm afraid you're stuck with me.”

 

“Seriously?” Hotch’s hazel eyes widened as his dimples came out of their hiding place. “It will just be you and me?”

 

“And the kids of course.” Emily replied.

 

“We rarely see our kids on Saturdays.”

 

“You sound excited about that.”

 

“I will not deny the idea of spending some quality time with my amazing wife has me stoked. Isn’t that what Dylan always says, stoked.”

 

Emily laughed, kissing him. Hotch deepened the kiss, turning and moving his body over hers.

 

“Even if it turns out to be an hour or so, I want to make the most of it.” He said.

 

“We can just go out. Actually the kids all have plans so…”

 

“How does the National Gallery sound?” Hotch asked, his lips trailing down the underside of her chin and across her throat. “We can walk around as long as we like, looking at all of your favorite paintings. Then we’ll have lunch and stroll by the Potomac.”

 

“Mmm,” Emily’s arms slid around her husband’s neck as she surrendered to his affections. “You are so good to me, Aaron Hotchner.”

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you more.” she whispered.

 

“I love you even more than your more.”

 

She laughed, letting her husband show her. He made her heart sing with telling but showing…Aaron Hotchner was still the king of the show.

 

***

                                                                                                                                                       



End file.
